MERIT BADGE
REQUIREMENT CHANGES

Effective: January 1, 1998

(CHANGES TO MERIT BADGE REQUIREMENTS
EXCEPT COMPLETE REPLACEMENTS)

When there is a conflict between two published lists of
requirements, such as the Requirements Book and a Merit Badge Pamphlet, even when the
pamphlet has a later issue date, the Requirements Book should be considered to be the
controlling document, until a newer edition of the Requirements Book is issued.

For each of these Merit Badges, in requirement 2(b), the phrase
"on an adult mannequin for at least three minutes" has been replaced with
"using a training device approved by your counselor."

NOTE: The change mentioned above does not actually appear in
the text for Small Boat Sailing Merit Badge in the 1998 Requirements Book, even though the
Merit Badge is listed as being changed on the inside front cover, and no other changes
were made. All other Aquatics Merit Badges have had the same change made, and we have been
advised that this is an editor's error.

1. Develop a plan to teach a skill. Have your merit badge counselor
approve the plan. Make teaching aids. Carry out your plan. With your counselor, check to
see if you have successfully taught the skill.

2. Choose a product or service. Build a sales plan based on its good
points. Try to "sell" your merit badge counselor on buying it from you. Talk
with the counselor about how well you did in telling about the product or service and
convincing the counselor to buy it.

3. Do the following:

(a) Show how you would make a telephone call inviting an expert in
the field of your choice to give a demonstration to your unit on that person's area of
expertise.

(b) Show how to create an effective recorded message and how to leave
a voice-mail message.

In requirement 5, "Record what you hear." Has been
replaced with "Listen and take notes."

Requirements 6-8 have been renumbered 7-9, and a new requirement 6
has been added as follows:

5. Do ONE of the following:

(a) Write to the editor of a magazine or your local newspaper to
express your opinion or share information (on any subject you choose). Or, write to an
individual or organization to request information (on any subject). Send your message by
fax or electronic mail, if possible. Otherwise, mail a traditional paper letter.

(b) Create a page on the World Wide Web for yourself or to give
information about your unit, school, or other organization. Include at least one article
and one photograph or illustration.

(c) Use desktop publishing to produce a newsletter, brochure, flier,
or other printed material for your unit, school, chartered organization, or other group.
Include at least one article and one photograph or illustration.

New requirement 9 (old 8) now reads:

9. Check careers in the field of communications. Choose one career
and discuss with your counselor the qualifications and preparation needed for it.

In requirement 8, "take six rides of 25 miles each. Take two
each month for 3 months." is replaced with "take two rides of ten miles each,
two rides of fifteen miles each, and two rides of twenty-five miles each.

In requirement 9, "After the 3-month period in" has been
replaced with "After fulfilling."

The first sentence of requirement 2(a) now reads "Tell or write
about what causes dental decay and gum disease." The first sentence of requirement
2(b) now begins "Show that you can teach others . . ."

In requirement 4(c), "should not be eaten" is replaced by
"you should avoid."

In requirement 5(c), "The ways in which" is replaced by
"How." "Things to be talked about" is replaced by "Topics."

Requirement 6(a) now reads "Make a model tooth of soap, clay,
papier-mâché, or wax. Using a string and a large hand brush, show proper tooth brushing
and flossing to your troop or a school class." Requirement 6(e) has been replaced
with "Make drawings and write about the progress of dental decay. Describe the types
of dental fillings and treatments a dentist can use to repair dental decay problems."

In requirement 7(a), "Study" has been replaced with
"Report on," and the second sentence has been deleted. In requirement 7(b),
"high school or college needed" has been replaced by "education."

In requirement 1, "using good technique, phrasing, tone,
rhythm, and dynamics." is added to the end of the first sentence, and the third
sentence is deleted.

In requirement 2 , in the first sentence, "four" is
changed to "five", and in the second sentence, "one of" is changed to
read "one instrument in".

In requirement 3(a), compact discs and videos are added to the list
of sources. "Tell who wrote them. Tell who the artists were. Name the
conductors." is replaced with "Name the composers, artists, and
conductors." In the last sentence "Talk over" is replaced with
"Discuss."

In requirement 3(b), "of this country's better-known" is
replaced with "better-known American."

In requirement 3(c), "town" is replaced with
"local," and "take part" is replaced with "perform."

In requirement 4(c), delete "musical." In requirement
4(d), compact discs have been added as a choice.

There have been NO changes to the requirements. However,
requirement 4 is numbered differently in the Requirements Book and the Merit Badge
Pamphlet. The Requirements are the same, however. When working on this badge as a
Scout or counseling Scouts for this badge, be alert to this discrepancy.

In requirement 5, the parenthetical listing "(such as a church,
theater, picnic, beach, travel)" is replaced with "(at church, at a theater, on
a picnic, at the beach, and while traveling, for example)."

Support the US Scouting Service Project
Websites with your donation. With your help we can continue to serve the Scouting
Community. The US
Scouting Service Project, Inc. is a Not-for Profit Corporation chartered in
the State of Missouri. The IRS has not recognized the USSSP as a 501(c)(3)
organization, so donations may not be tax deductible.